New habitat nixes endangered listing for local beetle

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is withdrawing a proposal to list the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle under the Endangered Species Act.

The Coral Pink Sand Dune Tiger Beetle

Credit Mark Capone / USFWS

The tiger beetle is found only in two small pockets of Kane County and has one of the smallest ranges of any insect.

Under a new agreement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with county, state and federal partners will expand the species’ protected habitat from 207 acres to 266 acres.

A press release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the expansion will allow for the protection of 88 percent of the species’ habitat from off-road vehicles and other use. The agreement will also provide protection for islands of habitat between the two conservation areas.

The tiger beetles were originally proposed for listing in 2012 after threats from vehicles, drought and climate change.

Spokespeople from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Utah Parks Service, and the Bureau of Land Management were all pleased with the arrangement.